natininja

I would prefer someone from the outside come in for a fresh perspective.

^ That is the Fox News calling card. I say and you, my ideologically-aligned friend, say -- all of a sudden we have "some" say. Perfect, we've got a source!

^ Yes, that's what I was implying. Sorry if that wasn't clear.

On the land tax model, improvements to the land that increase to value do not get taxed. (as I understand it). I think if a taxing authority wants to spur development they can provide tax abatements or do TIF. The Banks did get TIF, yes? Yet surface lot owners and negligent speculators are paying the same amount as someone who has put the property to more valuable use. It also streamlines the assessment process, making it more small-government friendly. Just like market-rate parking, this should be something conservatives and urbanists can agree on.

^ So what you're saying is air rights complicate land tax assessments.

That reminds me...

Stadiums are like roads. Conservatives think they're a good value proposition, without any eye to real-world ROI. They feel they're a good value in the gut. Why else was COAST a big supporter of this horrendous deal? With the demands Mike Brown was making, it probably would have been a better business decision for the county to call him on his bluff and let him walk. Having a sports team is not the be-all, end-all of being a respectable city. Does anyone think Cleveland has a leg up on Cincinnati because they have a basketball team? Is Portland a miserable pit because they don't have football or baseball? Not to mention Cleveland just had a team walk and another come right back -- with the proven fan base in the city, it would have likely happened in Cincinnati. If Mike Brown actually followed through on his threats. Bearcats football wouldn't be a bad consolation prize. (Though in its late '90s form it would have been.)

Certainly not "everything". Has a lot to do with it, and accounts for how it got started. You should hear the man go on about fiscal responsibility, etc.

Yet he just snubbed the AA Chamber of Commerce: The scorecard says Christopher Smitherman neither showed up for the interview nor returned a questionnaire so he isn’t ranked. http://cincinnati.com/blogs/politics/2013/10/17/qualls-tops-african-american-chambers-scorecard/

The NAACP president is on city council, and he pushes the TP agenda as far as it will go in city limits. His campaign staff collects signatures for ballot initiatives that suburban COAST puts together, helping the suburban Tea Partiers flex muscle in the city. The national NAACP has had a number of beefs with Smitherman, and there has been at least one recall election, but so far he remains.

NAATP (colloquial portmanteau) is basically the urban arm of the local Tea Party. t is interesting, yet completely ridiculous. And the local Green Party is hopelessly small because of their insanity (which includes banding up with right wingers). It has more to do with the personalities of a small group of people than anything. And relentless opportunism.

^ Some of the weirder preservationists do that (no offense). I've seen some people on this board say that, or "the OTR". Maybe it was a historic thing to always say "the" before a neighborhood name? Or it's just weird.

Maybe they said Hrine. Y'know, like some people say "hwat"?

As I said in the other thread, I hope part of the expansion involves a tap room.

I hope part of the expansion is a tap room. One of their beers won a medal at the Great American Beer Festival earlier this month, and it was listed as being from the Cincinnati brewery (rather than PA or MA).

Taste of Belgium Uptown opening on Short Vine 10/21

Only if reporters are willing to state the truth in no uncertain terms, instead of "XYZ streetcar supporter interprets the documents as saying..."

This is the one I find interesting. Was there anything in the print edition? Chris Finney regurgitates some garbage out of his mouth and the Enquirer reporters are there like eager baby birds to swallow every last drop and write a story about it. Rails go in the ground and -- radio silence. They're obviously planning something, but waiting until Sunday would be strange. I guess it's not all bad, as everyone else has reported it, so unless the Enquirer skips the story entirely, they're basically extending the "first rails" story's news cycle. Their endorsement is going to be verrrry interesting. They were early to support to parking lease (but backed up their support a little bit as the lawsuit dragged on), and they said after the last election that the streetcar debate should be conceded by opponents. I don't know how they could reconcile that with a Cranley endorsement. (Well, I do know, they could proceed like they never held those positions.) But it seems the more consistent thing, since Cranley's main campaign positions are against what the Enquirer supported, would be to support Qualls. And probably give some token blurb about how she should focus more on "the neighborhoods."

If not Smitherman, it will be PG. Yay, white men.

Jeff Ruby is perpetually stuck in the 80s, so that ain't gonna happen. It's when he started his most recent cocaine binge, which by now is his only anchor in this world. It's a wonder he had the presence of mind not to call the media Soviet.

Yeah, they tried to give it away in the 4th. That would have been such a waste of a good show early on. Glad they pulled it together. I was really scared Nugent would miss another, as I'm sure every Bengals fan watching was.

Did it occur to you streetcar supporters may be doing the same thing with the candidates? If constituents don't make it known that support for the streetcar is of the utmost importance, candidates could and would flake. Even with all the strong showings at meetings and many, many election wins for the streetcar and supporting candidates, a majority of council candidates support canceling the project with rails in the ground. I'm not totally convinced Landsman is not another Sittenfeld, but he seems to be one of the most supportive 9 council candidates. Coming in 9th place, as far as I can tell. Reason being: showing a willingness to cancel the project at the 17m vote would have been ridiculous. And if it's just campaign rhetoric, then his honesty leaves something to be desired. You can say "that's politics," but I do not accept that. I'd bet that's what some Cranley supporters think about his "cancel the streetcar" rhetoric Fortunately I don't have to make the decision, but I would consider voting for just 8 candidates, if I were a Cincinnati voter. Because I'd rather more supportive candidates win over a potential flake.

Seems like all your posts are about Landsman, pushing this exact point. Hmm....

Why is he lying about the budget? And maybe 3.6 is not quite 3.9 (I seem to remember there was a portion south of 2nd Street in the studied route), but it's sure as hell a lot closer than what he said -- that the Uptown connection was part of the study. He wouldn't even admit to getting that wrong, but he bothered to pen a letter. I might write a rebuttal later and see if it gets published. I encourage others to do this, too. This politician's already lying, and he hasn't held an office yet.

The streetcar is just the most politically palatable first step to a massive upgrade of the city's transit network. Anyone of any race who uses public transit should be cheering it on wholeheartedly. That message should be shouted from the seven hills. Or campaign mailers. Does Cranley even support things like Complete Streets in concept? Or is magically lowering bus fares his only plan to help transit riders or non/light auto users?